System and method for the tracking of milling material

ABSTRACT

In a system (3) for the tracking of milling material (26), comprising a milling machine (1) for milling a section (28) of a ground pavement (29) in a milling operation, a truck (14) for loading and transporting away the milling material (26) removed during milling of the section (28) of the ground pavement (29), a deposition site (24) for depositing the milling material (26) transported away by the truck (14), a first detection device (18) for detecting data signals relating to the milling material (26), it is specified for the following features to be achieved: that a second detection device (20) detects position data of the deposition site of the milling material (26), wherein the first and the second detection device (18, 20) transmit the data signals (60) relating to the milling material (26) and the position data of the deposition site (24) to a documentation device (22) which links the position data with the data signals relating to the milling material (26).

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit of German Patent Application No. 10 2016222 145.0, filed Nov. 11, 2017, and which is hereby incorporated byreference.

BACKGROUND

The invention relates to a system and a method for the tracking ofmilling material in accordance with claims as submitted herewith.

Milling machines are known which can be used to mill sections of aground pavement in a milling operation. Furthermore, the millingmaterial removed during milling of the section of the ground pavement isloaded onto a truck and transported away. The milling materialtransported away on the truck is deposited on a deposition site. It isknown to detect data signals relating to the milling material by meansof a first detection device. The milling depth and the removed millingvolume, for example, are detected in the process.

There is, however, a growing requirement to recycle the removed millingmaterial.

BRIEF SUMMARY

It is therefore an object of the present invention to create a systemand a method by means of which the recycling possibilities of themilling material can be improved.

The above mentioned object is achieved by the features of claims assubmitted herewith.

The invention advantageously specifies for a second detection device todetect position data of the deposition site of the milling material,wherein the first and the second detection device transmit the datasignals relating to the milling material and the position data of thedeposition site to a documentation device which links the position datawith the data signals relating to the milling material.

The material properties of the milling material and the associateddeposition site are thus known. This offers the advantage that thematerial proper-ties/milling material properties of the milling materialto be recycled are known prior to recycling without having to bedetermined once again at the deposition site.

The first detection device detects the data signals relating to themilling material.

The first detection device may detect the data signals relating to themilling material from the control device of the milling machine.

The first detection device may be arranged at the milling machine, andpreferably is part of the control device of the milling machine.

The second detection device may be a mobile telephone or a transponder,specifically, RFID chip or a device comprising a GPS receiver andpreferably transmitter for the transmission of GPS data. The seconddetection device may also be a reading device, for example, for readingout data of a signal-transmitting device or a transponder.

Position data signals may be detected at the deposition site, whichrepresent the position data of the deposition site. Position datasignals are thus signals for position determination. Position data serveto identify the deposition site. Position data signals may, for example,be GPS signals which indicate the precise location of the depositionsite. Position data may be coordinates or, for example, also the name ofa landfill site which is determined by means of the GPS signals.

The second detection device may also detect the position data, forexample, at the deposition site, for example, in that, for example, atransponder, for example, an RFID chip, is positioned at the depositionsite. An identification code for the deposition site is stored in saidtransponder. This may be the name of the place, the coordinates, thename of the deposition site, or any other identification of thedeposition site, where the deposition site may be a landfill site. Thesecond detection device may detect the identification code of thetransponder. The transponder may be arranged, for example, at theentrance gate of a landfill site. Alternatively, the position data mayalso be entered into the second detection device manually, for example,the name of a landfill site.

In the process, detection of the position data may be effectedautomatically, for example, when the truck is unloaded. The seconddetection device may, for example, register “dumping”—for example,because the second detection device may be connected to the controllerof the truck or because vibrations are registered when dumping. Dumpingmay also be determined based on the motion profile of the truck, forexample, based on the idle time or on the basis of differentacceleration profiles when the truck is loaded or unloaded.Alternatively, detection may be triggered by the driver.

The documentation device may be part of the first detection device orpart of the second detection device.

Alternatively, the documentation device may be arranged outside of thefirst detection device and outside of the second detection device andalso outside of the milling machine.

The first detection device may preferably be arranged at the millingmachine.

The second detection device may preferably be arranged at the truck ormay be carried along on the truck. Alternatively, the second detectiondevice may also be arranged near or at the milling material itself.

Transmission of the data and/or position signals between the firstdetection device and the documentation device and/or between the seconddetection device and the documentation device may be effected via, atleast in part, a wireless connection, specifically, radio connectionsuch as, for example, a WLAN or Bluetooth connection.

The data signals relating to the milling material may be data signalsrelating to the material properties of the milling material,specifically, the material of the milling material and/or location dataof the milled section of the ground pavement.

Regarding the data signals relating to the material properties of themilling material, these may be data signals which directly describe thematerial properties of the material, or may be data signals which enableconclusions to be drawn about the material. For the purposes of theinvention, the location data of the milled section of the groundpavement may therefore also be data signals relating to the materialproperties of the milling material. It may be determined, for example,which motorway section is being milled. It may be known which materialhas been used in the construction of the motorway section so that it canbe determined based on the motorway section which material has been usedin its construction.

It may be known, for example, which asphalt has been used in theconstruction, or the composition of the material used in theconstruction may be known. It may also be known which material has beenused in the construction of different layers of the ground pavement. Asa rule, the ground pavement comprises a surface layer, a binder layerand a base layer. The known information regarding the material may bestored in a data base (for example, locally on the milling machine oroutside of the milling machine), or said information may be entered byan operator of the milling machine. The location data may also bedetermined based on GPS coordinates. Said data signals relating to thematerial properties of the milling material may then be detected by thefirst detection device.

Samples of the milled-off material may also be taken, for example, andevaluated immediately or at a later date. For the purposes of theinvention, the data signals relating to the material properties of themilling material may also be data signals which relate to the number orthe name of such sample.

Material properties of the milling material may be of interest fordisposal and recycling. It may be important, for example, that it isknown as to whether tar is contained in the milling material, since tarrequires separate disposal. Furthermore, knowledge regarding the bitumenproportions in the milling material may be relevant for recycling.

The information from which layer of the road pavement structure themilling material originates may already be of importance as a materialproperty. In the course of a reuse, material from a base layer must, forexample, not be used for the production of an asphalt mixture which isto be used as the surface layer in a new road pavement structure. Themilling material originating from a surface layer, on the other hand,may be recycled into an asphalt mixture which is used as the base layerin a new road pavement structure.

The data signals relating to the milling material may be operatingparameters of the milling machine, or data or data signals,respectively, which are determined by means of the operating parameters,location data or information entered. As a result, any one or more ofthe directly determined or entered data or data signals, respectively,as well as data derived therefrom, may be detected as data signalsrelating to the milling material.

Operating parameters may specifically be the milling depth, the millingvolume removed, the advance speed, the milling drum speed of revolution,the relation between advance speed and milling drum speed of revolution,the milling drum used, the torque/output emitted by the drive engine ofthe milling machine, or the amount of water fed during the millingprocess to cool the milling tools. Furthermore, it may be detected as towhether the milling machine is operating in down-milling or inup-milling mode (milling drum rotating in the same direction/in theopposite direction as the ground-engaging units). The data signalsrelating to the milling material may also be the mass and/or volume ofthe milling material loaded onto the truck.

Data or data signals may be determined by means of said operatingparameters. These may be material properties of the milling materialsuch as, for example, the grain size distribution in the millingmaterial, fine fractions/coarse fractions. The physical properties maybe derived from, for example, the relation between the advance rate andthe milling drum speed of revolution, or the milling drum used.

Furthermore, it may be determined from the operating parameters, forexample, from the milling depth, which layer of the ground pavement hasbeen milled. The ground pavement comprises, for example, a surfacelayer, a binder layer and a base layer which, as a rule, featuredifferent layer thicknesses. In addition to the milling depth, locationdata detected by the milling machine may also be taken into account, forexample, to determine as to whether milling has already been performedin a specific position. This information can be correlated to allow formore accurate conclusions to be drawn about the layer just milled.

According to the present invention, a method for the tracking of millingmaterial may be specified which comprises the following steps:

-   -   milling a section of a ground pavement with a milling machine in        a milling operation,    -   depositing the milling material milled during the milling        operation on a loading surface of a truck,    -   detecting data signals relating to the milling material in a        first detection de-vice,    -   transporting the milling material deposited on the loading        surface of the truck to a deposition site and depositing the        milling material at the deposition site.

It is advantageously specified that position data of the deposition siteare detected by means of a second detection device, and where the firstand the second detection device transmit the data signals relating tothe milling material and the position data to a documentation devicewhich links the position data with the data signals relating to themilling material.

Linking means to store which milling material is assigned to whichdeposition site. This information may be retrievable.

The first detection device may be arranged at the milling machine, andpreferably is part of a control device of the milling machine.

The second detection device may detect, as position data, GPS datasignals at the deposition site.

Transmission of the data signals and/or position data between the firstdetection device and the documentation device and/or between the seconddetection device and the documentation device may be effected via awireless connection, specifically, radio connection or internetconnection.

The documentation device may be arranged outside of the milling machineand/or outside of the second detection device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention are illustrated in more detailwith reference to the drawings.

The following is shown schematically:

FIG. 1 represents a system for the tracking of milling material,

FIG. 2 represents the embodiment according to FIG. 1 with a truck at thedeposition site,

FIG. 3 represents an alternative embodiment of a tracking system,

FIG. 4 represents the first and second detection device, as well as thedocumentation device,

FIG. 5 represents an alternative embodiment of FIG. 4, and

FIG. 6 represents an alternative embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A system for the tracking of milling material is depicted in FIG. 1.

The system 3 comprises a milling machine 1 for milling a section 28 of aground pavement 29 in a milling operation. The ground pavement 29 ismilled by means of the milling machine 1, and the removed millingmaterial 26 is loaded, via no less than one transport conveyor 8, onto atruck 14. As is depicted in FIG. 2, the milling material 26 loaded ontothe truck may be deposited on a deposition site 24.

The milling machine 1 may comprise, as a minimum, a machine frame 2.Furthermore, the milling machine comprises a height-adjustable millingdrum 10 for working the ground pavement 29 where, in a millingoperation, the milling drum 10 works the ground pavement 29. The millingdrum 10 is driven by a drive unit. The drive unit is preferably a drivemotor, specifically, a combustion engine. The milling machine 1comprises front and rear travelling devices 4, 6 as seen in thedirection of operation 12. Said travelling devices 4, 6 may be wheels ortracked ground-engaging units. The travelling devices 4, 6 may beconnected to the machine frame 2 via lifting columns. The millingmachine 1 or the machine frame 2, respectively, can be adjusted inheight relative to the ground pavement 29 by means of the liftingcolumns. The machine frame 2 is adjusted in height by adjusting thelifting columns, and as a result, the milling drum 10 mounted in themachine frame 2 is adjusted in height as well. Alternatively oradditionally, the milling drum 10 may be adjustable in height relativeto the machine frame 2.

A first detection device 18 is depicted by means of which data signalsrelating to the milling material can be detected. In the embodimentdepicted, the first detection device 18 is arranged at the millingmachine 1. The first detection device 18 may detect data signalsrelating to the milling material. These may, for example, be operatingparameters of the milling machine 1, or data or data signals,respectively, which are determined by means of the operating parameters.

Operating parameters may be the milling depth, the milling volumeremoved, the milling depth, the advance speed, the milling drum speed ofrevolution, the relation between advance speed and milling drum speed ofrevolution, the milling drum used, the torque/output emitted by thedrive engine of the milling machine, or the amount of water added.Furthermore, it may be detected as to whether the milling machine isoperating in down-milling or up-milling mode. Based on said operatingparameters, the quantity or the volume or mass, respectively, of theremoved milling material can be determined, or conclusions canindirectly be drawn about the material properties of the millingmaterial. Said material properties or data determined can be detected asdata signals relating to the milling material.

Also, the first detection device 18 may detect further materialproperties of the milling material not determinable on the basis of theoperating parameters as data signals relating to the milling material.The location data of the milled section 28 of the ground pavement 29may, for example, be detected. It may be known which material has beenused in the construction of said section 28 so that conclusions can bedrawn about the material based on the location data. Additionally oralternatively, material properties of the milling material may beentered or stored, respectively, so that the first detection device 18can detect said material properties of the milling material.

Information regarding the layer of the ground pavement 29 just milledmay also be derived from the operating parameters of the milling machine1 or entered. Said derived or entered information can be detected asdata signals relating to the milling material.

The detection device 18 may detect the operating parameters via thecontrol device 16 of the milling machine 1. The first detection device18 may also be arranged externally from the milling machine 1.

The system 3 for the tracking of milling material furthermore comprisesa second detection device 20 which detects position data of thedeposition site of the milling material. For this purpose, the seconddetection device 20 may, for example, be arranged at the truck 14 asdepicted in FIGS. 1 and 2. When the truck is at the deposition site 24,position data signals may, for example, be detected at the depositionsite which may represent the position data of the deposition site. Saidposition data signals may, for example, be GPS signals. The seconddetection device may also be arranged at the milled-off milling material26.

In the process, detection of the position data may be effectedautomatically, for example, when the truck is unloaded. The seconddetection device may, for example, register “dumping”—for example,because the second detection device may be connected to the controllerof the truck or because vibrations are registered when dumping. Dumpingmay also be determined based on the motion profile of the truck, forexample, based on the idle time or different acceleration profiles whenthe truck is loaded or unloaded. Alternatively, detection may betriggered by the driver.

The second detection device 20 may, for example, be a transponder whichreceives GPS signals. The second detection device 20 may also be amobile telephone which is, for example, carried along by the truckdriver of the truck. An application may be installed in said mobiletelephone which, by operating the mobile telephone, detects the GPSsignals and stores them as position data. The mobile telephone maytransmit the position data to the documentation 22 via an internetconnection. Alternatively, the position data may, for example, beentered at deposition site.

A documentation device 22 is furthermore specified to which the firstand the second detection device 18, 20 transmit the data signalsrelating to the milling material and the position data of the depositionsite, where the documentation device 22 links the position data with thedata signals relating to the milling material. It can thus be identifiedprecisely which milled-off milling material has been deposited at whichdeposition site, with the position data of the deposition site beingprecisely known.

GPS data may, for example, be stored as position data. It may, however,also only be indicated on which landfill site the milling material hasbeen deposited. Transmission of the data signals relating to the millingmaterial and of the position data between the first and/or the seconddetection device 18, 20 and the documentation device 22 may be effectedvia a wireless connection, specifically, radio connection and/orinternet connection.

It is depicted in FIG. 3 that the documentation device 22 may also bearranged externally from the milling machine 1 and the truck 14.

The first detection device 18 and/or the second detection device 20 mayalso be arranged externally from the milling machine and/or from thetruck 14.

The first detection device 18, the second detection device 20 and thedocumentation device 22 are depicted in FIG. 4.

The first detection device 18, the second detection device 20 and thedocumentation device 22 may be computer systems. Said computer systemsmay comprise processors 30, 32, 34 and/or computer-readable memories 36,38, 40 and/or data bases 42, 44, 46 and/or an IO platform or module 48,50, 52, which typically comprises a user interface.

The first detection device 18 may detect data signals 60. The datasignals 60 may be detected from the control device 16 or may also beentered. Alternatively, the first detection device 18 may also directlyreceive the data signals 60 from sensors of the milling machine 1. Fromthe data signals 60, the detection device 18 may determine the datasignals relating to the milling material. If the data signals 60include, for example, the milling drum speed of revolution and theadvance speed of the milling machine, said data signals 60 can becorrelated with a grain size distribution of the milling material bymeans of the processor 30 and/or the data base 42. If the data signals60 include GPS coordinates that are representative for the section 28 ofthe ground pavement just milled, the material properties of the materialpresent in said section 28 may be stored in the data base 42. The grainsize distribution thus determined and/or the material properties may betransmitted to the documentation device 22 as data signals relating tothe milling material. Alternatively or additionally, the data signals 60may be directly transmitted to the documentation device 22 as datasignals relating to the milling material.

The second detection device 20 may detect the position data of thedeposition site. Said position data may be detected as position datasignals 62 or be derived from the position data signals 62.Alternatively, the position data may also be entered via an interface50.

The documentation device 22 receives the data signals relating to themilling material detected by the first detection device 18 and theposition data detected by the second detection device. The transmissionis depicted by means of the arrows 64, 68 and 70. In the documentationdevice 22, the data signals relating to the milling material are linkedwith the position data. Based on said linking, it can thus be tracedwhich milling material was unloaded at which unloading site. Thiscorrelation can be stored in the data base 46 for later retrieval and/orfor indication on a user interface of the IO module 52.

It could also be that the documentation device 22 transmits data signalsto the first and/or the second detection device 18, 20. It can thus beensured, for example, that the assignment of the data signals relatingto the milling material to the position data of the deposition site canbe queried both at the first and at the second detection device 18, 20via a user interface of the IO module 48, 50, that it can therefore bedisplayed in both detection devices 18, 20 as to which milling materialwas unloaded at which unloading site. For this purpose, data from thedata base 46 of the documentation device 22 may, for example, betransmitted to the data bases 42, 44 of the first and second detectiondevice 18, 20.

An alternative embodiment is depicted in FIG. 5.

It is depicted in FIG. 5 that the first detection device 18 and thedocumentation device 22 are integrated in a single system. Saidintegrated system may also be part of the control device 16 of themilling machine 1. The integrated system may also comprise a processor30 and/or a memory 36 and/or an interface 48 and/or a data base 42. Thesecond detection device 20 may transmit data to the integrated systemcomprising the first detection device 18 and the documentation device22. The transmission is depicted by means of the arrow 72. The firstdetection device 18, the second detection device 20 and thedocumentation device 22 may also be an integrated system so that acentral storage of data is specified. The data signals relating to themilling material and the position data of the deposition site may betransmitted to such central system via wireless connections and each bedetected at the same.

FIG. 6 shows an alternative embodiment of FIG. 2. It is different inthat the second detection device 20 is arranged at the milling material26 deposited on the deposition site.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for the tracking of milling material,comprising: a milling machine configured to mill a section of a groundpavement in a milling operation and to load onto a truck millingmaterial removed during milling of the section of the ground pavement; afirst detection device configured to detect data relating to the millingmaterial and to transmit the data relating to the milling material to adocumentation device; and a second detection device configured to detectposition data corresponding to a deposition site upon which the millingmaterial is deposited by the truck, and to transmit the position data tothe documentation device; wherein the documentation device is configuredto link the position data with the data relating to the millingmaterial.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first detection devicedetects the data relating to the milling material from a controller ofthe milling machine.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the firstdetection device is arranged at the milling machine.
 4. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the second detection device comprises a GPS receiver.5. The system of claim 4, wherein the second detection device furthercomprises a transmitter for the transmission of GPS data.
 6. The systemof claim 1, wherein the second detection device comprises a mobilecomputing device configured to detect unloading of the milling materialfrom the truck onto the deposition site, and responsive to the detectionof the unloading of the milling material to automatically transmit theposition data to the documentation device.
 7. The system of claim 1,wherein the second detection device is a transponder.
 8. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the second detection device detects GPS data signals atthe deposition site as position data.
 9. The system of claim 1, whereinthe documentation device is integrated in a single computer system withthe first detection device and the second detection device.
 10. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the documentation device is arranged outsideof the milling machine and outside of the second detection device. 11.The system of claim 1, wherein transmission of the data relating to themilling material between the first detection device and thedocumentation device and/or of the position data between the seconddetection device and the documentation device is effected via a wirelessradio connection.
 12. The system of claim 1, wherein the data relatingto the milling material are data relating to one or more of: materialproperties of the milling material; and position data of the milledsection of the ground pavement.
 13. The system of claim 1, wherein thedata relating to the milling material are operating parameters of theroad milling machine selected from a group comprising one or more of:milling depth; milling volume removed; advance speed; milling drum speedof revolution; milling drum use; and torque/output emitted by a driveengine of the milling machine.
 14. A method for the tracking of millingmaterial, comprising: milling a section of a ground pavement with amilling machine in a milling operation; depositing the milling materialmilled during the milling operation on a loading surface of a truck;detecting data relating to the milling material by means of a firstdetection device; detecting position data of a deposition site uponwhich the milling material is unloaded from the truck, by means of asecond detection device; transmitting at least the position data to adocumentation device which links the position data with the datarelating to the milling material.
 15. The method of claim 14, furthercomprising: detecting, via the second detection device, unloading of themilling material from the truck onto the deposition site; and responsiveto the detection of the unloading of the milling material, automaticallytransmitting the position data to the documentation device.
 16. Themethod of claim 14, wherein the second detection device detects GPS datasignals at the deposition site as position data.
 17. The method of claim14, wherein transmission of the at least the position data between thesecond detection device and the documentation device is effected via awireless radio connection.
 18. A system for the tracking of millingmaterial, comprising: a milling machine configured to mill a section ofa ground pavement in a milling operation and to load onto a truckmilling material removed during milling of the section of the groundpavement; a controller of the milling machine, the controller configuredto detect data relating to the milling material; a second detectiondevice configured to detect position data corresponding to a depositionsite upon which the milling material is deposited by the truck, and totransmit the position data to the controller; wherein the controller isfurther configured to retrievably link the position data with the datarelating to the milling material.
 19. The system of claim 18, whereinthe second detection device comprises a mobile computing deviceconfigured to detect unloading of the milling material from the truckonto the deposition site, and responsive to the detection of theunloading of the milling material to automatically transmit the positiondata to the controller.